Alabama football escapes Auburn with thrilling 4-overtime victory in Iron Bowl

AUBURN — Just when everything looked bleak, like there was no way an Alabama football offense could drive 97 yards after struggling mightily all day, the Crimson Tide snatched victory from the jaws of Jordan-Hare.

Trailing most of the game, No. 2 Alabama somehow found a way to send the game to overtime, where it defeated Auburn 24-22 on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium in the fourth overtime.

After the win over Auburn (6-6, 3-5 SEC), the Crimson Tide (11-1, 7-1) will pivot to the SEC Championship Game, where No. 1 Georgia awaits.

Here are observations and takeaways from Alabama football's win over Auburn.

Ja'Corey Brooks, Slade Bolden, John Metchie III step up with Jameson Williams out

Alabama's offense looked like it just didn't have the goods to get the job done for most of Saturday.

No. 1 receiver Jameson Williams had to leave in the second quarter after he was called for a targeting penalty while in punt coverage. That left Alabama without its top receiver in touchdowns and yards, as well as the player who helped stretch the field, always posing the threat of running past the defense.

Without him, and even some with him, the Crimson Tide couldn't do much of anything offensively. With Williams out, Alabama had to turn to Ja'Corey Brooks.

With Alabama on the ropes offensively in the final minutes, the Crimson Tide found a way to drive down the field, including converting a fourth-and-7. Then Brooks capped it off with an impressive catch in the corner of the end zone, tying the score and sending it to overtime.

Then, on Alabama's possession in the first overtime, Slade Bolden caught the touchdown to give Alabama its first lead of the game.

But a 5-yard touchdown pass from Auburn's TJ Finley soon sent the game to a second overtime. There, Ben Patton and Will Reichard traded field goals to require a third overtime.

The back-and-forth continued as both John Metchie III and John Samuel Shenker caught 2-point conversion passes.

In the fourth overtime, Metchie found a way to score another while Auburn didn't. So, Alabama won.

A punting battle for much of regulation

Alabama and Auburn sure gave James Burnip and Oscar Chapman plenty of work in regulation.

Both squads punted six times in the first half alone. Yes, 12 total punts before halftime. By the end of the game, Burnip punted seven times while Chapman finished with 10.

The Tigers and Crimson Tide proved stout on defense in the first half. The pass rush for both sides showed up to play, especially Auburn's.

The Tigers had five sacks in the first half alone, while Alabama had four. Freshman Dallas Turner provided a spark, leading the the way with two sacks for the Crimson Tide. Meanwhile, two of those Auburn sacks came on the second-to-last drive as the reality of Alabama getting shut out in the first half became more and more realistic.

Auburn was the only team to find a way out of the punt-filled first half as Kobe Hudson caught a flat pass and took it 15 yards for the touchdown.

Alabama's defense was seldom the problem for the Crimson Tide. Josh Jobe even picked off TJ Finley in the fourth quarter. The defense didn't give up much to Auburn for most of the game, but the Crimson Tide offense struggled to take advantage.

Until the very end of regulation, of course.

And the Alabama defense stepped up on the final play for Auburn's offense, too, as freshman cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry broke up a pass.

Electric Alabama offense doesn't travel to Auburn ... for most of regulation

The Alabama offense that put up 42 points a week ago seemed like a distant memory not long after kickoff.

A week after Bryce Young passed for five touchdowns and an Alabama record for a single game in passing yards against Arkansas, the Crimson Tide started the game flat.

Alabama managed only four first downs in the first half.

The Crimson Tide couldn't get much going on the ground, finishing with 64 yards on 36 carries, which accounts for sack yardage.

Alabama found ways to move the ball in the second half more, but it struggled to finish drives.

Holding issue kept Alabama scoreless heading into the fourth

Just when it looked like Alabama might finally score, something went wrong.

After the Crimson Tide put together probably its best drive yet in the third quarter, the Tigers held strong on third down to force the field goal. Reichard didn't even get a shot at it because holder Paul Tyson couldn't gather the snap.

Yet another thing to go wrong for Alabama on an offensive drive. Punter James Burnip replaced Tyson as holder on the field goal from Reichard that gave Alabama its first points in the fourth quarter.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama escapes Auburn with thrilling 4-overtime victory in Iron Bowl